My flats are all buried under so much snow that I'm not even sure exactly where they are! I haven't stepped on them yet, so that's a good thing.

Mine too. They've been out there since November, so they're well & truly stratified! I hope to see some good germination. I'm sort of worried about one of the potting mixes I used - a cheap one, and everything I've put into it has languished.

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"I take the part of the trees as against all their enemies." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Mine too. They've been out there since November, so they're well & truly stratified! I hope to see some good germination. I'm sort of worried about one of the potting mixes I used - a cheap one, and everything I've put into it has languished.

I used seed starting soil the first couple of times I winter sowed. Germination was great, but I left some of them in the flats too long and they didn't do well. Not enough nutrients in seed starting soil, I guess. This year I'm trying a mix of coconut coir and worm castings in some flats. We had the bags of worm castings left at the end of the season at work. I potted some of mine up last year in cheap potting mix. The bag had all sorts of stuff in it....bits of sticks, small stones, etc. Again, it was leftover at work so I grabbed it. The seedlings did just fine in the cheap mix. I hope it works for germination for you!

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One with the earth, with the sky, one with everything in life. I believe it will start with conviction of the heart.
~Kenny Loggins~

I've done some elderberry cuttings straight into the ground as well. My problem is that I forget to water when I do it that way. Putting them in pots for the first few months helps me keep an eye on them.

I probably should try it that way...or do half and half.

I guess, if I put the cuttings in the ground along a path, I should see them regularly and remember to water as needed.

We'll see if I even do it--spring is a busy time of year, and things tend to get away from me. I remember some years waiting too long and missing my chance. I do have a few elderberry growing in spots that they were not before. I think at least some of them were a result of my rooting attempts.

I hope to gather some cuttings from various shrubs so that I am not cloning all of the same individuals.

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

I went way over the top with my soil mix this year. I made the 511 mix you might have seen on other garden forums. 5 parts pine bark fines (pine bark mulch sifted over a 1/4" mesh screen), 1 part perlite, 1 part peat (in this case I used kellog outdoor potting mix instead of peat). I tried using the potting mix right out of the bag last year and had some issues with drainage and plants not doing well and/or rotting. I hope with this well-aerated soil I will have even more plants this year.

I went way over the top with my soil mix this year. I made the 511 mix you might have seen on other garden forums. 5 parts pine bark fines (pine bark mulch sifted over a 1/4" mesh screen), 1 part perlite, 1 part peat (in this case I used kellog outdoor potting mix instead of peat). I tried using the potting mix right out of the bag last year and had some issues with drainage and plants not doing well and/or rotting. I hope with this well-aerated soil I will have even more plants this year.

That is awesome!

I was not familiar with that mix. I hope it works well for you.

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~